See the FIFA World Cup through the eyes of researchers
At the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada, players from the 48 participating nations will not only compete against the world's best opponents. They will also have to cope with long-distance travel, major climate variations, matches played at altitude and a game that is evolving faster than ever before.
In this theme, three football experts from the University of Southern Denmark's Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics take you behind the headlines and closer to the factors that often decide matches, but rarely dominate post-match discussions or media coverage.
Carsten Hvid Larsen, Associate Professor and sports psychology consultant to the Danish Football Association (DBU), explains how subtle changes in players' behaviour can reveal when they are out of balance, and why a few percentage points can make the difference between success and failure on football's biggest stage.
Chris Carling, a researcher with many years of practical experience from the French Football Federation and some of Europe's leading football environments, provides insight into the physiological challenges players face during a long tournament, where heat, travel, recovery and matches played at altitude can all affect performance.
Peter Krustrup, Professor and internationally recognised football researcher, takes us inside the evolution of modern elite football and explains why the new substitution rules have made squad depth and impactful substitutes more important than ever.
Enjoy the read.
